By now everyone’s familiar with Ragu Bolognese — it has become on of the best known pasta dishes in the world — but there are so many more unique, local recipes in the region that are equally remarkable. Dotted around Bologna, in a few small shops, home kitchens and restaurant kitchens, you will still find sfoglini rolling pasta by hand, according to tradition. They are the makers of sfoglia, what Bolognese call their egg pasta dough and it is the foundation for one of Italy’s most beloved regional cuisines. For one city, Bologna’s cuisine is an embarrassment of riches.
Many years ago, Peter Roberts fell in love with the city of Bologna and its marvellous food. Since then, he’s been back almost every year to study with a family of master pasta makers in the city to learn the traditional techniques and recipes. This is where he truly began to appreciate how the quality and texture of handmade pasta cannot be replicated by machine. Tonight he showcases several of the region’s unique, local pasta dishes in an homage to the food and people of Bologna.
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Tortellini in Brodo
Bologna’s most iconic dish, but one that’s difficult to find outside the city. Delicate meat filled pasta, floating in a rich, flavoursome broth that takes about 16hrs to prepare. Sublime.
Ragu Bolognese with hand-rolled Tagliatelle
A slightly modified version of my teacher’s ragu recipe. The tagliatelle are made from free range eggs and organic Italian soft wheat flour. An absolute classic for a reason.
Balanzoni
A lovely shade of green from fresh spinach, this large filled pasta is stuffed with ricotta, mortadella and various seasonings. Dressed in a butter sauce and parmesan, this is a much adored dish that’s Bolognese to the bone.
Tiramisu
A very good, very classic version using a secret I got from the chef at my favourite tavern in Bologna.
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$79 + HST
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When not running a small woodworking shop called Gute, Peter Roberts heads up the Bologna Pasta Project, a pop-up passion project showcasing the artisan pastas of Bologna, making handmade pasta by special order,
bolognapastaproject.com | @bologna_pasta_project
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Every weekend The Depanneur invites an amateur or professional guest chef to host a fun, informal dinner party. @thedepanneur
